Monday, April 16, 2012

Gang-banging just to gang-bang in Rogers Park?

(Rogers Park) - A very interesting Sun-Times article explains how the gangs in Rogers Park no longer really gang-bang over drug turf, instead they gang-bang just to gang-bang.

Reminds me of the "Howard Street Greasers." Remember them?

Also noted is the small number of actual gang-bangers there are in Rogers Park. According to police stats, less than 250 gang-bangers are roaming the streets of Rogers Park, in 17 different gang fractions.

Rough calculations would say the "Positive loiterers" should outnumber the "Negative loiterers" 200 to 1. But that doesn't seem to be the case. The "PLers" are lucky to get 30 people on the street at any given time.

Given the 'PL' to 'NL' ratio with the facts accumulated by the Chicago Police, this doesn't bode well for neighborhood activism.

More interesting information from the article. Keeping with our ward's diversity we're so famous for. Our gang-bangers in Rogers Park don't seem to follow the racial makeup of other neighborhood gang-bangers. I had no clue there was an Asian Latin King? I learned something new today.

Oh, I also learned the "Broken Heart of Rogers Park" is still alive and well.

5 comments:

Just because there are only 250 of these morons that actually live around here, there are sure a lot more that come up here to cause trouble. When I have my scanner on Zone 11, I sure here a lot of addresses given out from the South or West Sides for jerks that are stopped for something.It's pretty obvious to me that the gangs are shuttling in "outsiders" to do the real dirty work & then they leave & the cops can't figure out just who mugged someone or was throwing gang signs before the shooting because it wasn't a local doing it.

Yeah journalists for newspapers just write stuff that sounds good. Embarrasing. Now I dont feel bad that I dropped Journalism as a class in College, doesnt look like there is much to learn. When we have professionals like these.

All the recent descriptions of Anthony Scott appear to be negative and gang related. I can bet that most readers could never imagine him as a grandson, son, brother, nephew, cousin or friend. His legacy in the eyes of the public will rarely be revisited. Because of your hard work and diligence and the reports of others like you, he will be known only as a statistic and a criminal of the street who many believe did not deserve the chance to live past the age of 19. His long time dream of enlisting in the United States Navy will never become a reality. Would his demise have been more sensationalized and praised for loosing his life in service to a country who in this circumstance considered him to be a "gang banger" instead of a hero? Would he have received this much publicity if his wore torn body had returned from overseas in a wooden box? Would the presentation of the flag have eased the pain of a mother loosing a son?

Based on my personal beliefs, our goal should not be to sensationalize negative images of a persons' character but as members of humanity we must strive to develop alternative methods to help our youth create a society free from violence for future generations. Despite my lack of remorse and ill feeling towards the accused murderer of Anthony Scott, his family will also loose a loved one. It appears that our society is becoming more and more obsessed with violence, negative characterizations of those considered targeted trouble makers and so called "gang- bangers". Just like everyone else on the planet, although perfection was not one of his strong points, Anthony "Chicken Head" Scott will always be remembered by those closest to him as a witty, warm, caring and loving individual whose only wish was that society would find him worthy of the chance to make a positive difference in the lives of those who knew him, instead of remembering him as a menace.

This Anothy Scott thing didnt even happen in RP proper, but I guess craig is including WR news here, which is okay.

When someone is involved in a gang shootout what are people to think? What kind of legacy can someone leave behind when that is their final act? Why would the general public remember him as a wonderful person when he is drawing gunfire in their neighborhood?

I wasnt there so I dont know what happened we just see the newspaper article and what they said, we know that many things printed there are inaccurate. According the article he said something that provoked a rival gang. Gangs use guns nowadays unfortunately and enough shootings and eventually the target will be hit. Many times though it innocent bystanders that are hit. Thats probably why people get upset with the violence.

Anthony Scott was not involved in a shoot out and did not have a weapon! He was a victim of a violent crime. I hope you never have to exprience the trauma of loosing anyone at the hands of a criminal. Regardless of how anyone else cares to remember him, those who loved and knew him best will always cherish his memory with laughter, love and the promise of a successful future!